Did mine on Monday, added a drain plug, new filter and 7 quarts of the +4. I did let it drip for quite a while. The previous owner had dropped a magnet into the pan, it had some "fuzz" on it, but no real metal. My plans for the future are to drain and drop the pan and change fluid/filter every 20K.

Whoever said that the smell test doesnt work with the +4 wasnt kidding...this stuf stinks to high heaven brand new!!!

 

Like I said earlier, if your fluid is in good shape that's fine. You make it sound much more of a pain that it actually is. I didn't have a drain plug the first time I did mine, by pulling the line I didn't have to worry about spilling fluid everywhere. Much easier to drop the pan.

Run a hose to a bucket next to the truck where you can see it. It flows out a nice steady stream, but very controlable. I didn't pump mine to the point of sputtering. I pumped the approximate amount I added.

 

Hey 05HDRAM,

Did you drop the pan before you disconnected the hose or did your run the fluid out with the pan still on?

 

I'm not trying to personally start a war here, but with the "pumping the fluid out" method comes more steps, and more steps make it more of a pain. All I have to do when I mess with the pan is drop the pan, change the filter, install the pan, and refill the amount of fluid that came out. If I was to pump the fluid out than I have to do all the things that I mentioned before. Simply because of the fact that you have to do more individuals steps, as well as having to constantly crawl up from or under the truck, makes it a more involved process.

For what it's worth, I didn't have a drain plug when I dropped the pan 2 weeks ago, nor did I install one before I put the pan back on, and I didn't spill any. The key is to take your time and be patient, let the fluid that is above the pan drain out, and then lower the pan at an angle while using the bolts to keep one end of the pan secured to the trans. Once the flow is down to a few drips just press the pan back up to the trans with your hand and remove the remaining bolt or two with your other hand. Then lower the pan down slowly and dump it in an oil catch pan. And there you have it, IMO a much simpler method.

 

Since the pan holds at least 6 qts, I pumped out about 5 then dropped the pan.

I am not trying to start a war either - I told you dropping the pan is fine if your fluid is in good shape. I have done it many times myself. My fluid was bad, very dark. I just wanted to change more than 6qts without taking it to a shop.

Oh, and the removing bolts and lowering one side of the pan is more difficult and time consuming than dropping the pan with about a qt in it. Not sure what you use for a drain pan, but I like to use an old plastic trashcan lid over a 5 gal bucket. A couple small pieces of duct tape keep will keep it from sliding around on the bucket.

 

If I say hot then you say cold and we could on like this for the rest of the day. For you it may take longer to drop the pan with it full, for me it took a few minutes and doesn't become a time consuming process. Personally to me, your method is more time consuming and involved, but obviously works for you. I use a 20 qt blitz drain ban that is about 2.5 ft across, it covers the entire area of the trans pan and no fluid gets past it.

 

Oh, I would ALWAYS drop the pan and change the filter. I have replaced too many transmissions in my years. I am installing a drain plug just so I don't have to drop the pan on a full tranny.

The thing I hate is having to keep a couple bolt sin and see the pan bend and flex on those bolts. I'll just drain it and then remove the cover.

 

Another option is to get a Mag-Hytec double deep trans pan. It has a magnetized drain plug and holds 4 additional quarts of fluid. It also gives an easy place to mount a trans temp gauge probe and has fins to help with cooling.

..

 

What are you guys doing to install the drain plugs?

 

Great idea, but too much money right now.

Just order a B&M kit, or just about any auto parts store should have one. Drop the pan, drill a hole and install the plug.

 

X2........

 

pdogg, I like your idea especially since I am installing a drainplug. Good idea and this way I don't have to touch the VB on my trans that shifts perfectly.

CamperAndy, I drove around town for over an hour with the temps constantly rising to 225 degrees and dropping again when I got moving. I was really not concerned that much about it until I finally got back home and smelled the fluid. It definitely did not look or smell as good as it had before I started towing the heavy trailer around. I'm not sure if the trans fluid has ever been changed so I'm just gonna do this and then I'll do it again in a week or two...

 

Just make sure you position the drainplug in a good location where it won't hit anything when you put the pan back on.....

 

Does the kit you guys use come with a tap to make threads on the pan or are you just installing the plug and it bites?

Toss a few picts of where you located your plugs if you would.

 

Most of the drain plug kits are two piece the first part goes through the hole that you drill and sandwiches gaskets on both sides of the pan the second is the drain plud that screws into the first part